The Evolution of Mexico's Managers: La Volpe vs Osorio

You would have to go back more than 10 years in time to understand the tranquility that Ricardo La Volpe's process brought to the national team... On June 8, 2005, El Tri prevailed 2-0 at the Tecnologico Stadium in Monterrey, against Trinidad and Tobago. The victory gave the team 13 points and enough calmness to face the rest of the journey with the satisfaction of a job well done. With this triumph, they headed to the Confederations Cup in Germany.

The good results only contrasted with the personality of the coach and the heated comments he made to the press, always with that usual arrogance: "We easily passed the qualifiers; nobody gives credit to that work or to the boys," La Volpe said. His numbers were impressive, having the support of the majority of the public, who highlighted the results and above all the positive style of play of his team.

The following two final Hexagonals would be the opposite of what La Volpe's process had achieved, as in the same instance, Sven Goran Eriksson was fired at the end of the third match, so in the next two games, Javier Aguirre took charge of the national team, achieving better results and leading the team to the World Cup.

At the halfway point, Mexico had accumulated 6 points. In the next process, José Manuel de la Torre suffered a string of draws that raised doubts about his ability to lead El Tri; in his first five games with the team, he had one win and four draws. One match later, against Honduras at the Azteca Stadium, Chepo was dismissed, due to the so-called Aztecazo (a 1-2 scoreline). However, at the halfway point, his team had accumulated seven points, insufficient for the fans' peace of mind.

It is because of these two precedents and what was experienced with La Volpe, that the achievements of Juan Carlos Osorio with the national team are doubly valuable. In addition to maintaining an undefeated record so far (4-1-0), his squad has gradually shown better arguments, as was seen this Thursday when Mexico went from strength to strength and ended up thrashing Honduras, the same team that eliminated José Manuel de la Torre years ago. The Colombian coach has matched the important and much-discussed statistics achieved by his Argentine predecessor.

The only category in which La Volpe surpasses Osorio is in terms of goals scored by Mexico. At that time, the team heading to Germany had scored nine goals and conceded three, while the current team has scored eight goals and improved defensively, having only conceded one goal in their first five matches. The task is more difficult than it seems, as Juan Carlos and his players must win this Sunday against the United States to keep up with La Volpe. These have been two diametrically different processes.

La Volpe was haunted by his discourse, the eternal rivalry with Hugo Sanchez, who was then the fashionable coach in Mexico, and his ways, which ultimately condemned him. Osorio is the complete opposite of the Argentine, from his way of interpreting the game to his behavior with fans and media. The Colombian is always serious, addressing anyone seeking a comment formally.

Two Different Styles

The differences can be identified almost immediately. La Volpe and Osorio are two coaches who have paved their way to success with the national team, but they have done so in their own unique ways. Talking about La Volpe leading México means talking about dragon ties, Feng Shui, and mentalization practices he forced his players to follow. On the other hand, Juan Carlos Osorio, in addition to his usual seriousness, has details that he constantly repeats, like using blue and red pens, the position of his notebook, and even how he crouches to watch the game.

The Fact

The next two matches of the national team will be played at the Azteca Stadium (against USA and Panama), where Mexico could secure their spot in the World Cup.